Niamh Smyth (Cavan-Monaghan, Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

I acknowledge the work the Minister is trying to do. Obviously I also acknowledge the work that Enterprise Ireland is doing and the work done by our LEOs in Cavan and Monaghan, including assistant head of enterprise, Jim Fox, in Cavan and John McEntagart, head of the Monaghan LEO. That work is wonderful, however we are having a brain drain out of our two counties. The skilled jobs are just not there.

I ask the Minister to work with her colleagues, including in the Department of Education and Skills and particularly in the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport, and specifically the Minister, Deputy Heather Humphreys, to ensure such co-operation between the various Departments. Of course we do not have the infrastructure to make these places attractive. I am the first to acknowledge that. The biggest disgrace of all is that our N3 stops at the Cavan border. If one looks at a map of this island, it is absolutely atrocious and disgraceful to see how our counties have been treated in terms of infrastructure, particularly with roads. That certainly does not help our case when the Minister is out there with the IDA is trying to attract jobs and visits. There really needs to be cooperation between the various Departments to make sure there is a special case.

I am not exaggerating. The Minister should take out the map. I was shocked myself at a recent meeting in Monaghan County Council when a map was taken out to show us the road infrastructure. We do not have a rail service. That cross-departmental work is going to be key to making us attractive to the IDA. I ask the Minister please to do that.

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